Print drier



April 6 1926. 1,579,527

- L. N. HAINES ET AL I PRINT DRIER Filed August 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet I 1,579,527 I Apnl 6 1926' r L. N. HAINES ET AL PRINT DRI ER Filed August 17 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N I N mwntoq Zone: wanes. Elke/127W;-

Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS N. namns. AND inmnn mwm, or KLAMATH FALLS, onneon.

PRINT DRIER.

. Application filed August 17, 1925- SeriaI No. 50,760.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that we, LEWIS and ELMER IRWIN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Klamath Falls, in the county of Klamath, State of Oregon, have Jinvefited certain new and useful Improve-- ments in Print Driers; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a' full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in drying devices, and particularly to devices for drying photographic negatives or prints.

One object. of the invention is to provide a device which includes a rotatable element adapted to support a number of photographic negatives or prints, a means for su pplying heated air, and novel means for 011'- culating the heated air about the negatives or prints.

Another object is to provide a rotatable element provided with novel means for supporting the negatives or prints in such manner that the negatives or prints form the vanes or blades of the element, and whereby the circulation of heated air is properly and effectively induced to quickly dry the prints.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the acompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drying device madein accordance with the present invention, broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device.

Figure 3 1s a. vertical central sectional .view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. I Figure 4 1s a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the arrangement of the hot air ducts.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents a suitable supporting frame, in which is mounted a drum 11, said drum having approximately onehalf of one of its side plates hinged at 12, to the remaining portion, to form the door 1 13, whereby access is had to the interior of the drum, for a purpose which will be more clearly explained hereinafter. Formed in the lower portion of the curved wall of the drum is a transverse opening 14, and mounted in the frame, and secured to the drum in covering relation to said opening, is a hous- N. HAINES- cry of each of the wheels 23, and transversely between, are the transversely extending bars 25, in the outer face of each of which is formed a longitudinal channel 26, for the reception of one edge of a negative or print,

or a ferrotype plate 27, as shown in the drawings. In the upper periphery of the drum there is formed an opening 28, through a which the moisture from the drying prints is adapted to pass, to the atmosphere, a suitable door 29 being arranged for adjustment to regulate the size of the opening. On one end of the shaft 22 is fixed a pulley 30, and

fore-mentionedpulley 20, is a drive belt 31, whereby the motor causes the rotation of the print holder within the drum. The sides of the rotor, within the drum, comprises a pair of circular disks 32, openings 33 being provided for the reception of the wheels 23. Connected to the peripheries of these disks 32, and extending circumferentially of the rotor, is a strip of reticulated material, such as the wire screen 34:. Secured to and exengaged around this pulley, and the betending between the disks 32, in parallel relation to the shaft 22, are the connecting bars 24, similar in form to the bars 25, for receiving the outer end edge portions of the prints.

Formed in the opposite side walls of the drum 11 are the hot air ducts 35. which extend from the side portions of the housing 15, to the centers of the sidewalls of the drum, which are adapted to convey the heated air from the housing into the center of the drum, fromwhence it passes through the wheels 23, and is thrown outwardly toward the periphery of the rotor, by the prints disposed in the said guides. In the side walls of the rotor are the arcuate and radially extending openings or slots 36, through which the prints'or negatives are inserted for engagement with the said guides. In the side walls of the drum, ad-

jacent the centers thereof, are the openings 37, through which the heated air, from the ducts 35, passes into the drum.

The prints, negatives, or ferrotype plates having been properly slipped into the guides 24 and 25, and the door 13 closed, the motor is started and electric current turned on to heat the units 16. The motor rotates the rotor with the result that the prints will drive air through the opening 14, into the housing 15, and into contact with the heating elements 16, from whence the thus heated air will be forced out through the sides of the housing into the ducts 35, and thence into the drum, by means of the central openings 37. This heated air passes into contact with the articles to be dried, and is returned to the housing 15 by the action of the prints or negatives, such prints or negatives forming the blades of the fan. Thus the heated air is scooped up by the prints or negatives,

as they pass the opening 14, and carried around the interior of the drum, whereby to dry the prints or negatives, such air, together with the moisture evaporated from the wet prints or negatives, passing out through the opening 28.

The prints, negatives, or ferrotype plates are easily inserted or removed through the slots 36, access to said slots being had by opening the ,door 13.

What is claimed is:

1. A print drier including a casing, a rotor in the casing, a heating meanscommunicating with the casing, and wet print holding means on the rotor whereby said rotor functions as a fan;

2. A print drier lncludmg a casing, a

rotor in the casing, a heating means communicating with the casing, and means for supporting Wet prints on said rotor in position to drive heated air from the heating casing, and means on the rotor for supporting wet prints in position to drive heated air from the housing through said ducts as the rotor rotates.

4. A print drier including a casing, a

rotor 1n the casing, a housing connected with and having communication with the casing, heating means in thehousing, air duets on the sides of the casing establishing communication between the casing and the hous- I ing, and means on the rotor for holding wet prmtsin position to act as blades whereby to drive heated air from the housing through said ducts. a 3,

5. print drier including a casing, a rotor in the cas ng, a housing carried bythe cas ng and having communication with the casing through the periphery thereof, air ducts leading from the housing and entering the centers of the sides of the casing, heating means in the housing, and chan neled members on the rotor arranged to en port prints in position to drive-heated air from the housing through Said ducts, and to return such air to the housing.

In testimony whereof, we a'flix our sig-' natures.

'. LEWIS N. names; 

